John Ballard

John Ballard (died 21 September 1586) was an English Jesuit priest who took part in the "Babington Plot", a plot to assassinate Queen Elizabeth I of England.

Biography
John Ballard was born in Wratting, Suffolk, England, and he matriculated at St. Catharine's College, Cambridge in 1569, before studying at Caius College, Cambridge and the English College at Rheims. He was ordained as a Jesuit priest at Chalons in 1581, and he was sent back to England as a Catholic missionary. In the Babington Plot, Ballard instigated Anthony Babington, Chidiock Tichborne, and others to assassinate Queen Elizabeth I of England as a prelude to a Spanish-led Catholic invasion. Mary, Queen of Scots approved of the plot, and her letter sent to Babington was later discovered, leading to the arrest of Mary and all of the plotters. On 21 September 1586, Babington was executed by hanging, drawing, and quartering.